Kevin Gregg is a sham closer

[Jehrico]

I hated Gregg the moment we got him.

 

I don't see that changing.

I called shotgun on the Gregg Sucks bandwagon the day we traded for him.

[NCCubFan]

If they're blown in the 7th inning, there's still time to come back with the Cubs' offense. If they're blown in the 9th (at least on the road), game over.

 

You think our players have a better chance to score runs when down late as opposed to being up late?

No, but I think they have a better chance of scoring when the game is still in progress than when the game is over.

[MPrior]

In my mind and heart, there is only one true sham closer, and I will never forget him.

 

But Gregg sucks. I think Lou would be overreacting if he demoted him. Leave him in the closer role, and he'll probably do fine. Not great, but fine.

[cubsfan26]

When Kevin Gregg was named the closer, most fans were happy. They thought he would do a solid job, and be fine as the closer. So whats changed? One save when he gave up a hit, then a double his RF should have caught? Then giving up softy hit single when he came into a jam, and giving up 2 runs in a blown save yesterday. So a few shakey games all of the sudden makes him crappy. Kevin Gregg is no Kerry Wood, but he's a solid reliever/closer. Infact here's some stats after four games last year and this year.

 

Cubs 08 closer

Wood after 4 games in 2008, 13.50 era, 1 for 1 in saves

 

Cubs 09 closer

Gregg after 4 games in 2009, 13.50 era, 1 for 2 in saves.

 

 

The difference is Gregg blew one save, while Kerry Wood gave up 3 runs in a tie game. Like I said before Gregg isn't Kerry Wood, but it's silly to say this guys crap after four games. At least give him until May before we start calling him Latroy Hawkins or Alfonseca. I just can't believe how bad baseball fans can overreact. It's a shame

[JimSorgi]

I still think he'll be fine.

[Jehrico]

When Kevin Gregg was named the closer, most fans were happy. They thought he would do a solid job, and be fine as the closer. So whats changed? One save when he gave up a hit, then a double his RF should have caught? Then giving up softy hit single when he came into a jam, and giving up 2 runs in a blown save yesterday. So a few shakey games all of the sudden makes him crappy. Kevin Gregg is no Kerry Wood, but he's a solid reliever/closer. Infact here's some stats after four games last year and this year.

 

Cubs 08 closer

Wood after 4 games in 2008, 13.50 era, 1 for 1 in saves

 

Cubs 09 closer

Gregg after 4 games in 2009, 13.50 era, 1 for 2 in saves.

 

 

The difference is Gregg blew one save, while Kerry Wood gave up 3 runs in a tie game. Like I said before Gregg isn't Kerry Wood, but it's silly to say this guys crap after four games. At least give him until May before we start calling him Latroy Hawkins or Alfonseca. I just can't believe how bad baseball fans can overreact. It's a shame

The save is a worthless stat, and comparing him to Wood based on that worthless stat is pretty meaningless.

 

He's appeared in three games so far. He gave up a run in the one save he converted...so the only difference between that performance and a blown save was that the offense provided more of a cushion.

 

In his second appearance, he was on the mound and gave up the winning run in the 10th. Cotts took the L though because he was the one that put that guy on. So, Gregg failed to perform in that appearance and get out of the jam. Can't put all of the blame on him for the loss, but he still failed to do his job.

 

Then in his last appearance, he gave up two runs while getting only one out in the inning.

 

He's given up a total of four hits and three walks in a total of two innings of work so far. That's a WHIP of 3.75. And it's not based on "one bad outing."

 

That's not to say that this is a predictor for the rest of the season, as it's a small sample size. The whole point is that comparing him to Wood at this point in the season is extremely misleading at best, but it seems more like it's deceiving than misleading to me.

[cubsfan26]

He's given up a total of four hits and three walks in a total of two innings of work so far. That's a WHIP of 3.75. And it's not based on "one bad outing."

 

You can actually look at is really only having one bat outing though. In his first save he gave up a single to the leadoff hitter. Then Bradley messed up and cost Gregg a run. So in all honestly Gregg pitched just fine in his first save chance, and should have only gave up on single and no runs.Then in the next game he came in with two on and no out. He got a fly out, intentional walk, then gave up a very weak single that just found the hole. Those two games wasn't really bad pitching at all. Yesterdays 2 walks, double that allowed two runs was really just one bad outing.

 

 

That's not to say that this is a predictor for the rest of the season, as it's a small sample size. The whole point is that comparing him to Wood at this point in the season is extremely misleading at best, but it seems more like it's deceiving than misleading to me.

 

The whole point is it's early, and very small sample size of struggling. Kerry Wood wasn't a whole lot better at this point, and he was just fine. By the way Wood gave up 3 hits, and 1 walk in his 2 innings pitched. So when you factor in that one of the 4 hits Gregg gave up was a misjudged flyball that Bradley screwed up on, and one of his walks was intentional. There honestly hasn't been much of a difference between Gregg and Wood after four games. I know you don't like Gregg, but I think fans are being pretty picky with his performance so far and being way to hard on him. It's been three games, so anyone calling him horrible right now is flat out overreacting.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

When you have faced 13 batters and only struck one out, some hits are going to fall in.

[17 Seconds]

Cubs 08 closer

Wood after 4 games in 2008, 13.50 era, 1 for 1 in saves

 

Cubs 09 closer

Gregg after 4 games in 2009, 13.50 era, 1 for 2 in saves.

 

 

The difference is Gregg blew one save, while Kerry Wood gave up 3 runs in a tie game. Like I said before Gregg isn't Kerry Wood, but it's silly to say this guys crap after four games. At least give him until May before we start calling him Latroy Hawkins or Alfonseca. I just can't believe how bad baseball fans can overreact. It's a shame

 

No, the difference iis that Wood is a much better pitcher than Kevin Gregg.

 

I think people wanted Gregg to be in the closer role just because it allowed Marmol to stay where he is. I don't think anybody was excited about the idea of Gregg closing games.

 

Nobody is overreacting I don't think. Gregg just isn't a great pitcher. He's really not much better than Michael Wuertz.

 

It reminds of when I went to a Marlins game in Miami last season. Gregg was trying to close out the Cubs and the Marlins fan in front of me was like "Gregg might get the save sometimes, but it's never pretty."

[17 Seconds]

He's given up a total of four hits and three walks in a total of two innings of work so far. That's a WHIP of 3.75. And it's not based on "one bad outing."

 

You can actually look at is really only having one bat outing though. In his first save he gave up a single to the leadoff hitter. Then Bradley messed up and cost Gregg a run. So in all honestly Gregg pitched just fine in his first save chance, and should have only gave up on single and no runs.Then in the next game he came in with two on and no out. He got a fly out, intentional walk, then gave up a very weak single that just found the hole. Those two games wasn't really bad pitching at all. Yesterdays 2 walks, double that allowed two runs was really just one bad outing.

 

 

That's not to say that this is a predictor for the rest of the season, as it's a small sample size. The whole point is that comparing him to Wood at this point in the season is extremely misleading at best, but it seems more like it's deceiving than misleading to me.

 

The whole point is it's early, and very small sample size of struggling. Kerry Wood wasn't a whole lot better at this point, and he was just fine. By the way Wood gave up 3 hits, and 1 walk in his 2 innings pitched. So when you factor in that one of the 4 hits Gregg gave up was a misjudged flyball that Bradley screwed up on, and one of his walks was intentional. There honestly hasn't been much of a difference between Gregg and Wood after four games. I know you don't like Gregg, but I think fans are being pretty picky with his performance so far and being way to hard on him. It's been three games, so anyone calling him horrible right now is flat out overreacting.

 

You can argue the overreacing point, but once again you're trying to make excuses. Don't try to downplay the fact that Gregg has pitched poorly so far. On opening day the leadoff single was decently hit and the hit that Bradley should have caught was hard hit. If Bradley caught it that would have been him bailing out Gregg. In his second game he looked alright I guess, but couldn't miss a bat against crappy hitters when he needed it. Then yesterday he looked like crap. How the hell are you going to walk Chris Duffy in a 1 run game in the 9th? That's inexcusable. Then of course he gave up the rocket to Weeks to tie the game and then once again couldn't miss bats when he needed it.

 

So yeah, you can tell us to give him a chance. That's fine, and I kind of agree. But don't act like he hasn't sucked so far.

[cubsfan26]

I never said he pitched well so far, he was average the first two games, and crap yesterday. All I'm saying he pitched 2 total innings and it's a small sample size. People are already acting like he's Antoino Alfonseca after three games.

[Jehrico]

I never said he pitched well so far, he was average the first two games, and crap yesterday. All I'm saying he pitched 2 total innings and it's a small sample size. People are already acting like he's Antoino Alfonseca after three games.

You do have to admit there are more parallels between Gregg and alf than Gregg and wood... Like the whole former Florida closer that the marlins didn't want anymore...

Personally, I hope we never make another deal w Florida again.

[NCCubFan]

Perhaps the solution is to use Marmol in the 9th with a 1-run lead (assuming he hasn't already pitched) and Gregg with a 2-run or 3-run lead where there's a bit more room for error.

[badnews]

Usually I don't go in for this way of thinking about baseball, but is there a less intimidating closer in baseball than Kevin Gregg?

[Elrhino]

Gregg gets the title since Todd Jones retired. Gregg makes Joe Borowski look electric.

[TruffleShuffle]

Gregg gets the title since Todd Jones retired. Gregg makes Joe Borowski look electric.

 

gregg has way better stuff than jones or end-of-career jobo.

[BCVM22]

Lou says:

 

"I found out an interesting piece of information on Gregg that I didn't know about, and it's that once I get him up and don't use him, his knee tightens up on him," Piniella said of the pitcher, who had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after the 2008 season. "I can't get him up, down by one run, and then all of a sudden I lose him for later on or he's not as effective later on.

 

"What you'll see probably from Gregg also is I won't use him at all in the eighth inning. He sits here [in the dugout] and then he goes out there and his knee is a little tighter in the ninth. I wasn't aware of that, and that was communicated to me by the trainer and by Gregg yesterday."

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090412&content_id=4243418&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc&partnerId=rss_chc

 

This is going to be a fun season.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

That seems like something you should know in advance. Like before you sign the guy.

[Derwood]

I still think this is one of those rare instances where the stats DON'T tell the story. He's not really getting hit hard. His BABIP is ridiculous. His defense has let him down.

[wrigley23]

cubs26 & others defending KGregg...i have one question. Did you watch any Miami Marlin games last year? This guy is a gas can. Heilman & Marmol are our the only quality arms in this bullpen. The rest are die rollers...

[weis21]

Miami Marlins... :lol:

[SouthSideRyan]

I think Soriano should close.

[wrigley23]

soriano close? Nah...he has his hands full as our bunny hopping, solo home run, free swinging, "i only feel comfortable leading off" guy.

[SouthSideRyan]

Just checking.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

soriano close? Nah...he has his hands full as our bunny hopping, solo home run, free swinging, "i only feel comfortable leading off" guy.

 

I bet you are loving Soriano's hot start this year, aren't ya?